Softworks Blog

July and August are the most popular times of the year for employees to take their annual leave. There are typically less active projects and a lighter workload during this period, making it the ideal opportunity to get away for a while. While some employees may take a day off here or there, it is still important to take an extended period of time off work. Employees benefit psychologically and emotionally from annual leave, and enjoy a boost in enthusiasm and productivity when they return. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits that result from annual leave and why it is so important.

1. Turning off your email.

It is widely believed that constantly checking your email leads to an increase in stress levels. While some managers might not be able to avoid their email altogether, to fully benefit from your holiday set your out of office message before you leave. Take it one step further and don’t even think about checking your email on your phone. Unless you’re expecting an important message it can wait until you get back.

Spending quality time with family.

The work life balance is a tough one to achieve sometimes. We all get caught up in our work at some stage or another and can neglect other areas of our lives. Getting away from your desk for a week or two with your family or loved ones will increase your happiness and remind you that there is more to life than work.

Refreshed and rejuvenated.

The biggest benefit of annual leave is the positive effect it has on the employee mindset. An employee returning from holidays will have a fresh outlook and attitude and will be ready to perform to the best of their ability.

A business can only prosper from having satisfied and motivated employees. Employees who are happy and productive are a huge asset to any company. And while annual leave is limited, Flexible Working is not. Flexible Working is unique in that it allows employees to achieve greater work life balance which in turn makes them more productive workers. To find out more about flexible working from Softworks click here.

I don’t personally have a dog which is quite surprising considering the amount of pleading I have got over the years from my kids. I do love dogs. As a kid there were plenty of dogs coming and going in my house, as my sister brought home every waif and stray much to my mother’s dismay. In all honesty I’d love a dog – please don’t tell the kids though!

My reluctance is that I’m just not sure I’ve got the time between working and ferrying around my kids to Soccer, Rugby, Gaelic Football and Hurling matches, not forgetting play dates, parties and playgrounds. Dogs are a lot of work, particularly when they are puppies so I was intrigued to hear that some companies are offering ‘pawternity’ leave.

So what exactly is ‘pawternity leave’? Apparently it’s just like maternity or paternity leave but for a new pet, instead of a new baby. The unpaid time off is allowed in order to give pet owners time to take care of their new pet whether this is a kitten, puppy, rabbit, hamster or whatever you’re having yourself…

Looking a bit deeper into this new leave, it came as no surprise to find out that some of the companies offering this leave are pet-themed companies. The Scottish brewery BrewDog offers a week of paid leave for employees with new puppies or rescued dogs. BrewDog co-founder, James Watt has this to say:

“It’s not easy trying to juggle work and settle a new dog into your life, and many members of our crew have four-legged friends at home. So we wanted to take the stress out of the situation and let our teams take the time they need to welcome their new puppy or dog into their family. We always want to raise the bar when it comes to offering our staff the best possible benefits; at BrewDog, we care about two things above all else. People and beer. We also just really really like dogs.’

BrewDog, was started by two men and a dog back in 2007, and both co founders are commonly found accompanied by canines Simcoe and Dr Gonzo.

Mars Petcare the people behind big pet food brands including: Whiskas, Pedigree Chum and Kitekat now offer their employees ten hours of paid leave for a new pet. Once their pets have settled in, they are allowed to join their owners in the office. Mars’ HR Director Kate Menzies commented on why they have introduced this leave.

“We want to enable and ease responsible pet ownership for our employees. Dogs and cats are at the heart of our business and our policy is designed to embrace a culture that is passionate about pets.” She also had this to say;

“Having pets in the workplace comes with many great benefits including relieving stress and improving productivity, as well as breaking down barriers between employees which creates a more relaxed environment.”

But it’s not just pet themed companies. BitSol Solutions -an IT company- in Manchester has also got on board and offers their employees a week off paid leave. According to company owner Greg Buchanan

"Pets are like babies nowadays, so why shouldn't staff have some time off when they arrive?"

So what do you think - are they all barking mad or could this really take off? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and if you are looking for a way of managing your employees leave - whether this is maternity, paternity or even pawternity Softworks can automate this process for you!.